25 Moments
by FoxgirlAfterDusk
Summary: From 25 lives, where you and I were intertwined. "The very first time I remember you..."


Inspired by quitewelmed on tumblr's post/55728367014/based-on-this-drop-dead-gorgeous- post-by-lalage-i

Which was based on 25 lives by tongari on livejournal, found in the s2b2 livejournal.

* * *

**_The very first time I remember you, you are blonde, and you don't love me back._**

The ballroom is flooded with yellow candle light and straining strings. Gloves clutch glasses and other gloves as the people search for the next step up the ladder. Daughters are paraded around the floor in rich silks, smiling for wealthy potential husbands.

Dance partners twirl and bow, hoping the next would be the one to leave the floor with. He strokes her golden hair, sunshine yellow curls shiny with pomad, just once. Then she's gone, whirled away with another partner. Artemis smiled at her new suitor, coy and flirtatious, without a glance back.

Their moment over, Wallace leaves without her.

**_The next time you are brunette, and you do._**

Artemis sighs, shaking her dark hair back as she stretches.

"Father says there was a dragon in the lake," she links their fingers together, tossing a smile over her shoulder, "Want to look for it's treasure?"

They laugh as the cool water envelops them and she entwines her arms her arms behind his neck. Wally strokes her back through the rough material of her dress.

'I love you,' He writes into her skin.

'I love you too,' She breathes into his lips.

**_After a while I give up trying to guess if the color of your hair means anything_,**

She's dyed her hair again. The ends are bleached white stripes against her dark purple hair. The layers hang in glossy straight curtains as she reclines back against against her desk. Wally follows, tugging the tie and collar of her uniform out of the way.

"I just, needed a change," she gasps into his messy red hair, "next time maybe I'll dye it your colour."

The detention supervisor comes back at that moment, and they hurry to straighten themselves. Artemis winks at him, tugging at a lock of hair and he freezes.

**_because even when you don't exist, I'm always in love with you._**

Wally tilts his glass to the newlyweds and the room applauds at his speech. He smiles for the crowd and then the groom is beside him, clapping him on the back with a grin that promises vengeance. Wally shakes him off and laughs, even when a pretty cousin takes his hand for the dance portion of the evening.

"Why don't you settle down?" The new Mrs Grayson asks him as they twirl around the room.

He asks himself that question when he's home, alone. The picture on the wall, some painting of a girl looking at the moon he'd spent hours on, has no answer.

**_I remember most fondly those lifetimes where we get to grow up together,_**

Artemis looks up from trimming her third pie crust, just to scoff at a still pouting Wally. She focuses back on her task and calls across the counter, "You know all my other secrets, why do you need this one?"

Wally shrugs and slides further down the chair. Artemis sighs and sets a freshly baked pie before him.

"We've been best friends forever, just accept that my secret ingredient is something I'll take to the grave." She cuts a slice and wafts the scent towards him, "C'mon, you can't resist."

With a scowl, Wally snatches the slice and glares at it even as the apple melts on his tongue. He would find out how she made these so damn tasty. He would.

**_when you share your secrets and sorrows and hiding places with me._**

"I's burred it here," She whispers, clumsy toddler fingers scrabbling at the dirt. Wally helps, because his Mommy told him good boys are nice and helpful.

Arty manages to uncover a silver coin, strung on a chain. "Daddy, Daddy says I'm s'posed to leave soon." She places her treasure in his hands, "You keep it, 'kay Wawee?"

Wally nods and tucks the pendant into his pocket. She looks at him, thoughtful dark eyes examining his mud smeared face. Quickly, she squeezes him in a hug. "Miss you," She says, face pressed into his shoulder, "Miss you, miss you, miss you."

**_I love how you play along with my bad ideas,_**

"I don't know about this," she whines, tugging on his hand, "we have class tomorrow morning and this is a frat party, and-"

He smiles at her dazed expression, gently kissing her again. Loud whoops fill the air as they part, fellow college goers already drunk and dispersing around the area.

She giggles into his shoulder and this is the one moment of the night that he doesn't regret.

**_before you grow up and realise they're bad ideas._**

Wally tries not to stomp his foot. It doesn't really help his case when he does it anyway. Artemis huffs and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"There is no way we can drop everything and go on a road trip." He squeezes his fists tight and tries to stop pouting, "We have responsibilities now! Wally, please, think this through." He watches her turn away, her stiff shoulders drooping. When her hands go to her face, he yields and wraps her into his arms. He kisses apologies into her hair until she laughs.

They don't go on a road trip that summer and when she asks if he still wants to go he just smiles.

**_(And in our times together I have had many bad ideas.)_**

The blood wells up between his fingers. Artemis smiles at him through her tears and he leaves bloody smears on her face when he touches her.

Wally tries to smile back but he's crying, too. Tears leaving burning tracks on his skin. Remorse catches in his throat and he chokes out an apology for bringing her to this place. She sobs, tells him to be quiet.

Their last kiss is tainted with salty iron and bitter regret.

**_When we meet as adults you're always much more discerning. I don't blame you._**

He finds her in the new releases section. She's scanning the backs of each movie with a frown, like they've all offended he somehow.

Wally fixes on his most charming smile and is about to suggest a DVD when she stops him with a glance. He fumbles, dropping his words. She's turned away when he stammers out a request for her name.

She glances back at him, a smile in the corner of her eye.

"Artemis."

**_Yet, always,_**

They're lying in the back of his old pickup truck, parked at the crossroads between youth and adulthood, watching the stars.

"Hey, Wally?" He brings their entwined hands to his chest and squeezes. She rolls over and leans on one elbow, propping herself above him. Her skin glows in the moonlight and he can see every strand he tucks behind her ear. "Will you stay with me? Always?" He repeats the word back to her with a smile.

When they kiss, he swears there's a shooting star above their heads.

**_you forgive me._**

"Wallace Rudolph West!" Wally cringes. The walls of their apartments aren't soundproofed (something they found out the hard way) and the neighbors are almost definitely home.

Artemis stomps out of their bedroom, the present Wally had painstakingly hidden in her hands.

"Wally, why did you buy these?" she shakes the pair of Ginseppe Zanottis at him. He stares. He's almost certain that those are the T-strap chain platform sandals alien high heels Artemis has been in love with since forever, so why would she be mad?

"Wally, these are _thousand dollar _shoes! We can't just go and buy things like this!" Wally scrambles to catch her tears before they fall, whispering apologies and explanations into her hair. She sobs and Wally sits her down, sliding the shoes onto her feet.

"You idiot," she says into her hands and he knows that he's been forgiven.

**_As if you understand what's going on, and you're making up for_**

Wally West feels dead. He suspects that he isn't, but his muscles aren't really moving and his sensory input is practically nonexistent. Except. He might be imagining it, but there's a person who comes around once in awhile. They talk to him and brush his hair back off his face. Even if they are imaginary, Wally spends his time trying to piece together their words. He thinks they talk about what he must be feeling but mostly he hears "wake up".

He wants to. He will.

When he opens his eyes, there's an impossible beautiful woman combing her fingers through his hair. The tag on her nurses uniform says "Artemis". She smirks down at him and he feels like she's been in his dreams for a long time.

**_all the lifetimes in which one of us doesn't exist,_**

It's one of those fad questions that all the magazines seem to print at once. "What's your type?" Whispers though groups and every time he hears it, Wally laughs.

All his guy friends are obsessed because all the girls are and it's funny in a way no one else seems to get. But everyone finds it fun trying to guess someone else's type. Most of them are stupidly off but the craziest ones are surprisingly accurate.

Like they say Wally's type is smart at science (true), ticks him off (so not), and Asian (which isn't really a type?). Still the one time he was asked all he could do was say something dumb, like "girl", then change the subject to the full afternoon moon.

**_and the ones where we just, barely, never meet._**

Wally groaned. he felt like he'd been hit by a car. Squinting at the bright light, he tried to sit up only to be pushed down.

"Don't-!" Says a familiar voice, and Wally turns to see Dick kneeling beside him with sticky red hands. Slowly, carefully, Wally pushed himself up, suddenly aware of the glass and gravel cutting into his palms. Dick reads the question on his face and takes a shaky breath. "We were in a car crash. The other... the other car is in bad... bad shape. She... I don't think... she isn't breathing."

Wally stands, blood rushing to his head, and tries to step towards the other car where a gleaming puddle is forming. Dick hurries to stop him but gets pushed aside.

The person who made the pool of blood is perfectly still. Her hair is streaked in rusty red and her face has a grey cast. Gently, Wally smooths bloody strands of hair from her face and tries to stop his tears from falling onto her.

**_I hate those. I prefer the ones in which you kill me._**

It's a gun. It's always a gun (or a bomb or knife or poison, but usually a gun). He always knew that no one in this line of work retires and he's had a pretty good run. Just... he wishes she wasn't the one aiming the gun at him.

"Any last requests, Agent West?" She stares him down; one corner of her lipstick is smeared, her dress is torn to the hip, the light bounces and gleams on the twisted snarls in her hair. He remembers Paris, California, space. He thinks about all the times they had together, barely a handful of memories but a lifetime in between.

The barrel of her gun presses into his ribs, right where his heart beats out a frantic staccato.

Wally reaches out to her and Agent Crock pulls the trigger. And he has no more tricks left. Artemis' farewell tastes like tears and gun powder and minty gloss and maybe, just a little, like love.

**_But when all's said and done, I'd rather surrender to you in other ways._**

"Hey Babe," Artemis, fresh from the shower, presses a kiss to Wally's cheek as he trudges through homework and their earlier fight. He sits up and grabs her wrist. Her skin smelled a lot like chocolate and vanilla, tastes like it too. Artemis lightly smacks him for licking her, but smiles all flirty. With a flip of her long hair, she disappears into their bedroom. All else forgotten, Wally follows.

"Hey Babe?" Wally smiled in response, feeling sated and lazy. Artemis lays her ear over his heart thoughtfully, then leans up to kiss him. "I love you," she whispers into his mouth. She slides on top of him, fingers twining in his hair, lips connected.

"I love you too," he writes into her skin, obedient to her whims for this night.

**_Even though each time, I know I'll see you again, I'll always wonder_**

"I am glad we will be working together. My friends, we will be receiving our orders tonight so we must use this opportunity-"

"Yeah, we get it Kal! I mean, Captain. Let's drink!" Dick cheered at his own speech and raised his glass to their newly formed covert group.

The chosen bar was already full of soldiers, smoke and slightly drunk singing but he could still tell when she entered. Men turned to watch her walk past, staring unashamedly at her red dress.

"Captain Hyde," Agent Crock set a manicured hand on Kaldur's shoulder, "Is your team prepared?" Kaldur turned to face her and they shared a quick conversation, ending with a disproving twist to her red lips even as she left.

Roy clapped a hand on Wally's back, "tell her when we come back." Wally nodded. They were definitely winning this war and coming back. They had to.

**_is this the last time?_**

He wakes with a start. His brain whirs while his body stalls and panic hums in his blood. Warmth curls around him, soft from cotton and bare skin and waves of smooth hair.

He doesn't dare close his eyes, where the bleak landscape has burned into his eyelids. The other occupant of the bed lies still and quiet. He presses two fingertips to her wrist, chest, neck and feels the steady thump under her skin.

She stirs, he moves closer and watches her settle against his warmth. Her soft breathing brushes his skin in a ceaseless pattern as he kisses 'I love you's into her hair, skin, everywhere until she wakes. Dark lashes flutter as she burrows closer to him and he thinks how could he be so lucky when her smile curves against his neck.

Life burns in her eyes when she looks at him and loosing her to some unseen terror feels like a dream.

**_Is that really you?_**

Jade appears out of nowhere and Wally tastes the wrong name on his tongue. She slams him into the wall for that, of course, because he is one of the few people who should notice the ways they are different.

Jade smirks, her mask dangling from one hand as she sizes him up. "Lover boy," she purrs with soft mockery, "fancy meeting you here."

Wally scoffs, it's not exactly a secret that he was meeting Artemis here soon but he'd hoped their date would be somewhat private. Jade steps right into his space and he sees all the details that make these sisters different.

Artemis's eyes were a lighter shade, rounder and slightly bigger; her jaw wasn't as sharp; her skin had more of a tan; there was a dip in her bottom lip, just to the left. They have the same body type, though, and if he closes his eyes he can...

Jade steps back quickly, dissolving into shadow before he can process and Artemis rounds the corner, cheeks rosy from hurrying.

"Sorry I'm late," she pants, brushing loose strands of hair out of her face. He feels the smile she brings tugging at his cheeks when he takes her hand to lead her on their date.

**_And what if you're perfectly happy_**

The arrow hits the bulls-eye and the crowd goes wild. Artemis smiles at the crowd, fixing the strap of her wiimote. Her challenger has been getting fives to eights and she's been getting nines and tens. There's no way she can lose.

The replay screen flashes and Wally's friends shove him towards her. He gulps, watching as she celebrates her victory, the wiimote dangling from a wrist. It's a perfect moment, and he can't work up the courage to pursue it.

She whips him in the face with her ponytail and can't stop laughing enough to apologize. He can't be mad at her though. Not when she's so happy. she slumps against him, wheezing with chuckles and he takes the sloshing cup from her hand.

"So, challenger?" She manages to get out, grey eyes bright with laughter.

**_without me?_**

There's a woman seated next to him. He doesn't even pay attention to the safety demonstration, she's so... she's just so... beautiful.

The plane touches down before he knows it and they disembark. He notices, out of the corner of his eye, how her smile gets bigger the closer she gets to the arrivals gate. Wading through the crowd of people waiting on arriving passengers, he thinks he might introduce himself, find out her name.

"Mama!" she turns to the source of the cry, bending down and opening her arms for the little girl to run into.

"Isabelle," he hears, as a man who must be her husband takes her luggage and hand.

**_Ah, but I don't blame you; I'll never burn as brilliantly as you. It's only fair_**

Competitor number 7 sits back in her seat, already polishing her violin with the soft cloth from it's case. Everyone around them fidgets with instruments and sheet music, listening for another competitor's mistakes. Competitor number 3 tugs at his tie. He'd been one of the early ones but it was bad manners to leave before all the competitors had played their piece. These competitions were serious business.

Number 7's violin is fairly new, less than a decade. But it's polished and waxed with care, so he has no trouble imagining Number 7 and this violin becoming famous some day.

"Too fast," His head snaps up from the callused fingers caressing the strings and number 7 smirks. "Your tempo was a little too fast in the end."

Number 3 shrugs. Music and instruments become an extension of the musician. It's not unusual for traits to lead, but tempo will probably keep him from being more than a solo. Unless there's someone who can keep up.

Artemis Crock wins for her precision. Number 7 takes the trophy. Wally West wonders if he should ask her for a duet.

**_that I should be the one_**

Wally could feel her rib cage expanding, the way it did when she mentally prepared to do something. He stepped forward quickly, volunteering before she could speak.

The mission was simple enough, but it was still suicide for whoever took it on. He couldn't let her leave him behind. She listened to his explanation, after the lights went out and she was exhausted from trying to make him change his mind.

He watched as she turned away, the moon casting silvery light over her head. Softly, quietly, all the words he never thought he'd hear came. They settled in his heart and ached with longing. He reached out to stroke her silvered hair but she darted away like a shadow.

In the end, the final step of the mission, he thought of her in their last moment together. The faint brush of skin. A false quirk of her mouth. Whispers of sorrow in her eyes. And the taste of her name on his lips.

**_to chase you across ten, twenty-five, a hundred lifetimes until I find the one where you'll return to me._**

Knock. Knock. Knock. Artemis lowered her hand, half tempted to run away before anyone answered. She turned away to leave just as the door opened revealing a disheveled Wally.

Artemis swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to casually play off her presence. He gave her a cool, green eyed gaze and tried to close the door. Stepping closer, she felt his eyes on the fading bruises on her neck where her scarf had sagged. They darted away when she looked, the muscles in his throat working as he allowed her in.

Tugging at the loops in her scarf to loosen it, she searched her mind for the speeches and plans she'd dreamed up after he left.

"You shouldn't have come." A flicker of longing ignited in her as he spoke, his voice pitched low and gravelly. "Artemis, I told you. We're over." An echo of pain laced his words, her throat ached with replies and protests she wanted to say.

Instead she pulled her scarf off, revealing the ugly purple and yellow and green injury on her neck in the shape of Wally's hands. He flinched back, palms going up before him. Catching one, she let the warmth soothe her cold cheek and hands. His thumb moved absently, stroking the dark bags under her eye.

He murmured something, green eyes flickering over her face. It sounded like 'you're beautiful' before gently removing his hand from her grip. "We can't do this. Artemis, I-"

"Was being controlled," Artemis stepped into him until her head was tilted up, looking into him. He let her twine their fingers together. She closed her eyes, feeling every beat of his heart in response to her own.

"I love you." She opened her eyes, trying to read his response.

"But I hurt you," he turned his head away, ashamed. Artemis set his hands around her throat, letting her own fall. "Don't, please," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. His hands slid down her back, pressing her to him. "I love you." He kissed her, soft and fleeting. Artemis leaned into him, her mouth opening to his, fingers stroking under his shirt.

"Don't leave me," she breathed into him.

"Never," her responded, carefully kissing the marks on her throat.

* * *

_Questions, concerns, favourite moments?_


End file.
